pSSSt, here’s a new place that entered the F&B playground and quickly became the talk of the town. From scrumptious subsistence to scintillating shenanigans, we have a feeling @smallshiftingspace is fast becoming the it-place for your next caffeine fix, cozy bites and more! We talked to owners Lee and Danial who gave us the delish details.
Why the emphasis on sibilance?
Danial: It wouldn't be fair for us to say that we intended for the name to have a sibilant element to it - we just ran through a few names that would best represent our space and it really worked out in our favour once we shortened the name to the now becoming famous 'SSS'. It gives us a lot of room to play around with wordsss like thisss!
What was the inspiration behind Small Shifting Space?
Danial: We started off as a business venture in this amazing location in the heart of Chinatown! With the hype of Boba, we followed the crowd but then realised that we should be utilizing our space differently to what was offered in the area and in fact in the whole city. We felt that creatives and individuals were able to express themselves across intangible platforms like collectives or social media - but there was no one physical space that allowed people to come together to share experiences and more importantly create experiences with one another in an environment that is completely what you want it to be. It becomes your small shifting space!
Lee: It's always been an interest that had been compounding subconsciously in my mind based on experiences in places I've travelled to. In retrospect, I've come to realize that the moments that I was most drawn to on these trips were the ones where I stumbled upon random obscure hole-in-a-wall joints patroned by individuals who meet to exchange cultures and interact. You truly get to experience what the purveyors behind the venues are trying to convey.These establishments are filled with character, and aren't just any other typical eatery or bar.
What does “space” mean to you?
Danial: The concept of space can mean different things to different people. Some see it as something bounded by four walls and a ceiling, others see the whole world as their space. For us, we believe that experiences should not be confined to a space - and that's why we are extremely excited to share with everyone our future plans for SSS. You'll have to wait for this one ;)
Lee: A space should occupy negative space, be fluid and able to take on the form of what is within in the present. It should serve a purpose, and come to life be it if it's filled with soul, display or nourishment.
This generation of young millennials are constantly in search of a sense of identity, and we hope to contribute to their pursuit of self understanding and a sense of community through offerings such as our curated programs.
How would you describe the creative direction and aesthetic your brand has undertaken?
Lee: Small, spontaneous, sturdy. Modest & mindful. Experimental & flexible.
What do you hope to achieve with Small Shifting Space?
Lee: We ventured into SSS with the vision that it would be a place for people to come together to participate, learn, and exchange thoughts, habits and ideals. This generation of young millennials are constantly in search of a sense of identity, and we hope to contribute to their pursuit of self understanding and a sense of community through offerings such as our curated programs.
We always hear about people wanting to "soul-search" or "find themselves". We've got a bunch of different mediums of art in our small shifting space, and hopefully that helps them with their discovery.
Danial: The greatest achievement for us now would be to see people experience happiness, love, appreciation of this world and be able to communicate these beautiful emotions amongst each other.
What was the biggest challenge you’ve had to face as a brand and how did you overcome it?
Lee: We always want to be ambitious when it comes to exploration, and experiment with different mediums and avenues. We have to know very clearly what aligns with the broader picture we're trying to convey. Making sure we retain consistency, and growing upwards and beyond.
Danial: This is a boring answer, but it would have to be covid-19. The virus just hit us at such a hard time and because we are a space that emphasizes the importance of experience, it has been extremely hard to convey that to everyone. But thanks to social media and the support we've had from our creatives, family and friends we were able to do the best we could given the circumstances we are in now.
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